Boasting in the Lord alone!

There was a small group of people in the Corinthian church that had criticized Paul and questioned his apostolic authority to minister there. They boasted about themselves and tore down Paul. In the last few chapters of his letter, Paul dealt with this group and explained his position and asked them to examine themselves!

Boasting can lead to jealousy and strife with others and self-deception in the one doing the boasting. Satan often inspires thoughts of pride and and self-commendation in order to cause strife. The world system operates on pride but in Christ we learn of His meekness and gentleness through the Holy Spirit. There is warfare in the arena of our thoughts as we learn to live like Christ.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2nd Corinthians 10:3-5) We must choose to follow the Spirit of Christ and resist and demolish the worldly strongholds of pride and self-promotion.

Paul, himself, had boasted about the authority given him by Christ. He stated that he was not ashamed of that, for this authority was for building them up and not pulling them down. Paul had limits on his boasting. He would only boast concerning the field given him and Christ’s work there. His advice to boasters: ““Let him who boast boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.”” (2nd Corinthians 10:17-18)